Process of making shoes or slippers



Aug. 6, 1929. w. T. TRACY 1,723,533

PROCESS OF MAKING SHOES OR SLIPPERS Filed April 18. 1922 [n Mental}- M/fifred I 77300 K Patented Aug. 6, 1929. i

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILFRED T. TRACY, OF LYIWIQ, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR, BY DIRECT AND MESNE ASEZIGNMENTES, T TliACY FOOT'W'EAR PROCESS, INC, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION 01: IVJLASSACH'USETTE.

PROCESg (IF MAKING SHOES 0R SLIPPERS.

Application filed April 18, 1922. Serial No. 555,264.

The invention relates to improvements in easier to the foot than ordinary sole leather footwear, and to an improved shoe or slipper and it holds the shape of the shoe or slipper and to a n'ocess of null-ling) the same without as Well as a, sole of ordinary construction. the use of lasts, by assenihluig the elements of After the Well: and sole have been stuck to- 5 the shoe w ether and shrinking them on a getlieigasr; above descrihed, the are united by f b .;3; mL Th i l'u ther con- :1 sewed seam as shown in Figs, 2 and. 3.

sis-ts ot a heel for supper :he arch ol the The shoe is thus made without recourse to :toot to prevent it from ha. king down, and the usual lasting process, but after sewing e0 n'ovides a slipper that will conform to the it is given its linal shape as follows. After foot action. the sole is secured to the upper 11, a form or The ohjeet of the invention is to provide an 515 16 pieced in the shoe and the shoe is (may? li ht, t p; h 0y li r and a settler-ted to a steam treatment, for eruuuple process of making the same at a: minhnum by sub ecting it to steam discharged by a 65 cost steam nozzle 17. This steam shrinks the jit t' -i-i t th figurescloth or leather ol' the upper and causes it to Figure 2 is a longitudinal section of th ing a shoe ct acceptable 'LLPPCM'LLHCO but withsame. out the use of the usual lasting operation. 7 Figure 3 is ac )ss section of the same. My new process thus dispenses with several 29 Figure lshows a cross section of the upper 01' the orthuary operations employed in shoe m l b f it i d t th 1 maxing, and thus reduces the cost of manufaclligure 5 is a perspective "View of: a steam t enoazle. Prefe ably, I place an elongate tapering 7 fi lj i t th d i 10 i di t a heel support 1%; inside of the shoe after the sli per or any form of shoe or foot covering m has been attached to the sole This haviusz;auupper11.,made oi any siutahleniaheel support smade oi some material, tor terial, such as cloth, leather, or felt. The upmpl hard fiber adapted to term a solid j m t f d sowed t th Th support for the heel and arch portion oi the S0 Welt- 12 is sewed to the lower margin of the loot; Whlle t111311061sullpol'talso tends to P 30 upper ll as indicated in Figure l. After the SQWG the h pe 01 the shoe and prolong 1ts Welt 12 is sewed to the upper 11, and the sole p p I is prepared, the welt 12 is covered with a coat wh n using this heel SllppOll', l pre'ljer to of cement and also the n'iarginal portion of IJYCWltlO the upper Y h an elitension l9 and the upper surface at the 5013 13, the seam which unites this extension to the ilfhe u'elt is now stuck to the sole 13 hp fur upp r proper is turned nn'vardly. The exger pressure which can. be accomplished by Will-S1011 P 9 P l e a proper space tor unskilled lahor. After the Welt l2 and sole the pti n 0t he heel si'lpinn't 18 While the iii are stuck together by hand the shoe is pre'flnwardly tlllf fl lllltl seam helps to 11 uut upward 9O erahly sulnnitted to the action of a Welt heater w e e t oi the heel support. I. he heel sup- 40 f a y usual type to pound the welt down to port 18 is pernmnently secured to the upper shape and stick it lirinlv to the sole. sliu'itaee oi the outer sole by means oi glue or In preparing the sole 1%, a strong durable other notable iastening means, and as 1t leather is used, for example chrome split, or plcnectsinto the extonsmn l9, it gives shape to the like, which shaped by suitable dies. A the latter and inu iarts a inushed appearance durable but flexible leather is used which is to the shoe but Without requiring any heel much cheaper than ordinary hard sole leather fimslung operation, Since this heel support and is much easier handled by inexperienced l8 extends 'ltorwardly toward the shank of the help. T his leather element oi the sole is prefshoe, it also acts as an arch supporter to pro erahly reinforced by a layer of leather hoard vent the arch oi; the loot iii-om hrealung down. 59 15 Which is secured thereto by glue or other i hlle 1 have ln'owded a substantial and fastening means. This form of sole has good shit outer sole whlch supports the loot in nor- Wearing qualities and is much lighter and malmanneulpreter to provlde anmner sole 20 means of cement.

of soft and yielding character adapted to impart to the shoe the warmth and comfort of the usual soft soled slipper. This inner sole is preferably placed over the heel support and 5 the forward portion of the outer sole and is secured in place by means of glue.

This inner sole preferablyextends from the 'toe portion to the heel portion of the shoe and comprises a bottom member 21 which may be of cardboard or the like and which supports a yielding layer or pad 22 of felt or other suitable material. This yielding or padding layer of felt is covered with a thin layer 23 of flexible material such as thin felt. The covering 23, the pad 22 and thebottom member 21 are 25 fort.

In shoes made of felt or similar materials the toe portion of the upper ordinarily loses its shape very quickly, and to prevent this I prefer to provide the forward portion of the upper with suitable straps or supports 2-t which are sewed to the upper and conform to all subsequent operations of manufacture. These straps are placed in such a position as to take the side and toe strains and assist in confining the foot to proper shape without sacrificing the comfort of a soft slipper. After the slipper is completed, it may be decorated in any desired manner and finished in accordance with usual methods.

hat I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is That process of making shoes which comprises as steps preparing a still outer sole consisting of superposed layers of leather and leather board, preparing an upper, sewing a welt to the marginal portion of the unlasted upper, attaching the nnlasted upper to the solo by sewing the welt to the sole, preparing an inner sole coniprising a cushioning layer and a covering layer, preparing a heel support, sticking the heel support to the inner surface of the outer sole at its rear end, and sticking the inner sole to the inner surface of the outer sole and to the heel support.

WILFRED T. TRACY. 

